Discoveries
by Frog1
Summary: Finished! Bruce Wayne and Helena Kyle have a long overdue talk...please read and review...and I'm sorry this took so long!
1. Black Canary Did What!

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters;   
someone else does. I have added a mask   
and a pair of black gloves to Helena's   
costume. I know on the t.v. show that   
she doesn't have these items, but I   
thought she'd be a bit more...   
mysterious with them. Also,  
Tim Drake is sixteen in this   
fic and goes to Brentwood. He was   
ten when Catwoman was shot.  
  
  
  
  
  
Discoveries  
  
by Frog  
  
  
  
  
Place: Clocktower, New Gotham City.  
  
Time: An hour after the end of   
"I Know Something You Don't Know."  
  
  
  
  
  
Barbara Gordon sipped her coffee as she   
prepared for her nightly work as Oracle. Her   
students were busy: Dinah Lance was doing her   
homework and Helena had already begun her   
patrol as the Huntress.  
  
  
"Mmm... looks like it's going to a quiet   
evening," she muttered to herself as she scanned   
the police band. Suddenly, a beeping sound caught   
her attention; it was someone contacting Oracle.  
  
  
"Oracle here," she answered.  
  
  
"Hey, Babs!" greeted Dick Grayson.  
  
  
"Hey, Short Pants! I haven't heard from you   
in a while; what have you been up to?" she asked   
with pleasure.  
  
  
"Oh, nothing much. Just the usual --   
patrolling the streets day and night,   
keeping an eye on the brat during the   
school year-- hey! That hurt, Tim!"   
he yelped in pain.  
  
  
Barbara laughed, "I'm glad you're   
treating the current Boy Wonder so well,   
Short Pants. Now, what can I do for you   
tonight?" she questioned him.  
  
  
"Well, an unexpected... case has   
dropped in mine and Timbo's lap. It   
concerns Catwoman," Dick told her.  
  
  
Barbara tried to keep her voice   
calm and light as she asked, "Catwoman?"  
  
  
"Yeah," he replied, "Has any new   
information been brought to light   
concerning Catwoman?"  
  
  
Barbara's hands sweated as she half-lied,   
"Not that I'm aware of... Oh! Sorry, another   
call is coming through! I'll talk to you later;   
bye!" Quickly, she hung up on her old flame and   
answered the new call, "Hello. Oracle."  
  
  
"Oracle," growled a very familiar   
male voice.  
  
  
"Batman! What a surprise... I haven't   
heard from you..." she told him weakly, but   
was interrupted by her former mentor.  
  
  
"Do you have any new information about   
Catwoman that should be brought to my attention?"   
questioned Batman, though it sounded more like   
a command.  
  
  
"Not that I'm aware of," she once again   
lied as her mind raced. 'First Dick, and now   
Bruce about Catwoman... what or who could have   
brought this up?' Then her blue eyes narrowed   
in anger as the answer came to her.  
  
  
"I see," Batman growled in a voice that   
told her he did not believe her for one second.   
He hung up on her.  
  
  
Closing her eyes, she took a couple of   
deep breaths in an attempt to calm down,   
Barbara then yelled, "Dinah!"  
  
  
Running from her room, Dinah asked   
worriedly, "I'm here; what's wrong?"  
  
  
"Dinah," seethed Barbara, "When you   
visited your mother in New York last month,   
did she do or say anything unusual?"  
  
  
"Well," answered Dinah, "We did go   
shopping for some weird items for some   
friends of hers."  
  
  
"What were these items?" questioned   
Barbara through clenched teeth.  
  
  
"Umm..." replied Dinah as she tried   
to remember, "Cigars, packages of balloons   
and confetti... Oh! She also bought two   
plush toy black cats. Is something wrong   
with Mom?"  
  
  
"She's fine for now!" yelled Barbara,   
"But when I get my hands on her, she's *dead!*"  
  
  
"What did Mom do?" questioned Dinah.  
  
  
"Oh, nothing much... She has just aroused   
the curiosity of the Bat and sons!" Barbara   
sarcastically told Dinah.  
  
  
  
  
  
************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, in another part of New Gotham...  
  
  
  
  
Detective Jesse Reese was chasing a suspect   
down a dark alleyway when someone swooped down in   
front of the suspect and punched the lights out   
of him. Rolling his eyes wearily, he asked the   
figure standing above the now-unconscious thug,   
"*Must* you do that?"  
  
  
"Do what?" asked Huntress innocently.  
  
  
"Appear out of the middle of nowhere,"   
Reese told her as he cuffed the perp, "and   
beat a suspect to death?"  
  
  
"I didn't beat him," she protested to him.   
"I just gave one good punch. It's not my fault   
he has a glass jaw!"  
  
  
Before Reese could comment on this remark,   
a beeping sound distracted him. "Excuse me for a   
moment," Huntress told him as she answered her   
earring communicator hidden beneath her black,   
winged eye-mask. "Huntress here."  
  
  
"Huntress, I need you to come home   
right now," ordered Oracle.  
  
  
"Okay. What's wrong?" Huntress asked,   
concerned.  
  
  
Oracle hesitated for a second; finally,   
she answered, "I believe that Batman, Nightwing,   
and Robin may have been given some clues   
about your relationship to them."  
  
  
"What!" bellowed Huntress, "How?"  
  
  
"Who are you talking to?" asked Reese   
curiously.  
  
  
But Huntress did not pay attention to him;   
instead, she focused on Oracle's reply: "Not how,   
but who, Helena."  
  
  
"Black Canary," growled Huntress in anger.  
  
  
"Exactly," Oracle replied, "We need to talk,   
and it won't take them very long to find out.   
Even with the computerized roadblocks I've put up."  
  
  
Huntress hissed with anger, "Later,"   
and then cut off communications with her   
mentor.  
  
  
"Something wrong?" questioned Reese   
with concern.  
  
  
"Nothing you need to be aware of,"   
she replied and then jumped to the nearest   
roof.  
  
  
As she disappeared into the night,   
Reese muttered, "I wonder what's got her   
so worked up."  
  
  
  
  
  
***************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
Two hours later, in Bludhaven...  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yeah, I didn't believe her, either.   
Tim's been trying to break into her system   
right now," Dick Grayson told his father   
over the telephone.  
  
  
"Good. Tell me what you find out as   
soon as possible. I'll try to clear up this   
mess that Ra's al Ghul has created here   
and then make my way home," Batman informed   
his son.  
  
  
"Okay. Give my best to Ghoul-Head,"   
said Dick and then hung up the phone. He   
then joined his younger brother, who was   
in the next room working on the computer.   
"How's it coming?"  
  
  
"I'm nearly there," answered Tim Drake,   
"Here we go. Let's see... oh, boy!"  
  
  
"I don't believe it," muttered Dick,   
"Are you sure this is Selina's file?"  
  
  
"Positive!" replied Tim, "It looks   
like she is also known as the Huntress.   
Why didn't she tell us?"  
  
  
"I don't know, but Barbara has a   
lot of explaining to do!" yelled Dick   
angrily.  
  
  
Silence reign the room, finally   
Tim asked, "So, which one of us is   
going tell him."  
  
  
Dick groaned in misery as he replied,   
"I will." As he made his way back to the   
phone he muttered, "How in the world am I   
going to tell him this?"  
  
  
  
  
  
**************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
Ten minutes later, in Moscow...  
  
  
  
  
  
Batman was working furiously on the computer,   
trying to track down Ra's al Ghul's hideout, when   
the phone rang. Sighing in frustration, he answered,   
"What?"  
  
  
"Uh, Daddy... we found out what Barbara has   
been hiding about Selina," Dick told his father.  
  
  
Eyebrows rose beneath the mask. Batman   
questioned his adopted son, "You haven't called   
me 'Daddy' since you were ten. What have you   
found out, Richard?"  
  
  
Dick hesitated for a moment. Finally,   
he said, "Daddy... Dad... I don't know how   
to put this... but do you remember that night   
you had with Selina, about twenty-two years   
ago? The night when Barbara and I found you   
two having sex on the rooftop of the old   
Monarch Theater?"  
  
  
"Yes," answered Batman calmly. Unseen,   
his cheeks turned red with embarrassment as he   
remembered the incident.  
  
  
"Well, there was a slight consequence   
from that romantic evening you had with her,"   
Dick told him. "A consequence that Selina   
and Barbara never told you about..."  
  
  
"Richard, what are you trying to tell   
me?" questioned Batman with a growing   
uneasiness in his heart.  
  
  
"I'm trying to say... ah, damn! All right,   
I'll just come out and say it. Congratulations!"   
blurted out Dick Grayson. "You're now the proud   
father of a twenty-one-year-old girl. Her name   
is Helena Kyle, also known as the Huntress! And   
she has taken up your mantle as guardian of   
New Gotham!"  
  
  
For one of the few times in his life,   
Batman was speechless. Finally, he whispered,   
"A daughter?"  
  
  
"Yeah," replied Dick. "Do you want me   
and Tim to go to New Gotham? We're kind of   
anxious to meet this new sister of ours."  
  
  
In a daze, Batman answered, "Yes, but   
try not to interact with her or Barbara. Make   
sure they both stay in New Gotham until I   
arrive."  
  
  
Dick sighed as he told him, "Okay, but   
hurry up! Tim and I want to make up for the   
lost time we could have spent with our sister!"   
Then he hung up on the man who raised him.  
  
  
Batman slowly put down the phone and   
turned his attention back to the computer   
screen. As he tried to refocus his mind on   
Ra's al Ghul, tears began to stream down his   
face from beneath the mask. Finally, he   
removed his mask and buried his face within   
his hands. For the first time in years,   
the Batman cried for his lost love, and   
for the time he could have spent with his   
daughter.  
  
  
  
TBC... 


	2. Packing and Planning

Place: The Clocktower in New Gotham  
  
Time Frame: The morning after   
the last chapter...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Barbara Gordon sighed as she rubbed her eyes wearily,   
'Damn,' she thought to herself, 'Where can she be?' Suddenly,   
she heard the doors of the elevator open; turning around,   
she sighed with disappointment as Dinah stepped out. "Any   
luck?" Barbara asked the younger woman.  
  
  
"Afraid not," replied Dinah Lance, "She left her   
earrings and necklace at 'No Man's Land' with a note."  
  
  
"What does the note say?" questioned Barbara as   
she turned back to her computer to continue her search.  
  
  
"It says," answered Dinah, "And I quote: 'I'll be   
back when *they* are no longer here or expected in town.'"  
  
  
"Terrific," muttered Barbara, "Dinah, I know that   
Carolyn is your mother, but when I get my hands on her..."   
She trailed off, her eyes narrowing with fury as she   
imagined punching the life out of the Black Canary.  
  
  
"I know; I'm not exactly happy with her, either,"   
admitted Dinah, "Where do you think Helena went?"  
  
  
"I don't know, but we better find her before her   
brothers and father do," Barbara told her as she quickly   
searched the Internet for any ideas on where Helena had   
run off to.  
  
  
  
  
*******************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A few hours earlier, in the apartment of   
Detective Jesse Reese...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Detective Reese let out a startled yelp as a familiar   
voice called out, "Reese." Quickly, he turned on the lights,   
pointing his gun toward the unexpected intruder. He then   
sighed with relief as he put his weapon once again into   
his holster. "What are you doing here?" he asked.  
  
  
Huntress shrugged her shoulders as she replied,   
"I just thought you would like to know I'll be out of   
town for a while."  
  
  
For the first time since he'd noticed her, Reese saw   
a black duffel bag beside her feet. "Why are you leaving?   
Does this have anything with that conversation you had with   
your invisible friend?" he questioned her in concern as   
well as curiosity.  
  
  
"Yeah," mumbled Huntress sadly as an unexpected tear   
came down her mask. Wiping it away with annoyance, she   
stated furiously, "Some unexpected people will be in New   
Gotham, and I rather would *not* be here when they arrive."  
  
  
"Are they dangerous, Huntress?" asked Reese with even   
more concern, "I've never seen you run away from anything."  
  
  
"I'm not running away!" she protested as she turned   
her back to him in order to hide her tears. "They can be   
dangerous, but they don't want to harm me."  
  
  
Moving slowly toward her, he asked, "So, if they   
don't want to hurt you, what do they want with you?"  
  
  
"They want to talk, but I do not want to talk to   
them! I do not even want to meet them!" she shouted with   
a mixture of anger and sadness.  
  
  
Huntress tensed as she felt Reese put a comforting   
hand on her shoulder, "Why don't you want to talk to them,   
Huntress?" he whispered as he gently turned her around so   
that they could speak face to face.  
  
  
"I am not telling," she mumbled, sounding like a   
lost little girl as tears ran freely down her face,   
despite the mask she wore.  
  
  
"Shhh," muttered Reese as he brought her into an   
embrace. As she cried on his shoulder, he told her,   
"Everything will be okay, Huntress; you don't have to   
talk to them if you don't want to. Look, I'm starting my   
vacation today; where were you planning on hiding?"  
  
  
"I don't know," sniffled Huntress, "Somewhere   
that no one will find me."  
  
  
Reese became lost in thought for a few minutes.   
Finally, he proposed, "Why don't you come with me on my   
vacation? I was planning on a camping trip in the Smokey   
Mountains -- why don't you come with me?"  
  
  
"But... you don't even know my real name!" she   
protested, "How can you be sure my... these people   
won't find me in the mountains? Why are you helping me?"  
  
  
"I'm helping you because you look like you need   
to get away from New Gotham as much as I do. Everyone   
deserves a vacation now and then," he told her.   
"Besides, thousands of people go to the Smokey Mountains   
to go camping. There is no way that anyone can find   
you there."  
  
  
"You don't know these people," she muttered in   
disgust, "But I suppose I could give it a try..."   
Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What's the catch?"  
  
  
"The catch is that you trust me," Reese told   
her as he removed her from his embrace. "Agreed?"  
  
  
Huntress stared at him in thought; finally she   
reached up and removed her mask. "My name is Helena,   
and that is all I'm telling you for the moment!"   
she told him.  
  
  
Reese smiled with pleasure as he agreed,   
"For the moment. Nice to meet you, Helena."  
  
  
  
  
  
********************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
Later that day, in a private condo of Wayne Towers:  
  
  
  
  
  
Tim Drake cursed as he shut off his portable   
computer and pulled off his earphones. "Dick!" he   
yelled, "We have a problem!"  
  
  
"What's the problem?" questioned Dick Grayson   
as he browsed through the phone book trying to find   
the phone number for Papa's Fast Pizza Delivery.  
  
  
"I tapped into Oracle's communication system   
just as you asked," replied Tim, "Oracle has been   
busy yelling at Black Canary over what's she done."  
  
  
"And this is a problem?" asked Dick.  
  
  
"The problem," continued Tim, "Is that Huntress   
has apparently left town with some detective she has   
been working with for some time. Oracle wants Black   
Canary to get her butt here immediately and take   
Huntress' place temporarily as guardian of New Gotham,   
while she tries to track down the Huntress --   
with Alfred's help."  
  
  
"Great," muttered Dick, "And I just finished   
unpacking. Does Oracle have any idea where they could   
have gone to?"  
  
  
"Somewhere in the Smokey Mountains," replied   
Tim as he took out a road map and gazed at it in   
concentration. "They could be in North Carolina or   
Tennessee, according to the map."  
  
  
"Clear across the country," mumbled Dick in  
frustration. "Little sis certainly doesn't do   
anything small. Wait a minute! Some detective?   
What's this detective's name?"  
  
  
"According to Oracle's database," answered   
Tim as he began to plot the quickest way toward the   
Smoky Mountains, "the detective's name is Jesse   
Reese, and he's the illegitimate son of Al Hawk."  
  
  
"Our sister is alone with a mobster's   
bastard son!" yelled Dick.  
  
  
Tim looked up at his brother in confusion,   
"What's wrong with who he's related to? According   
to the database, Detective Reese is nothing like   
his father. In fact, he hates him, and the last   
time they met, Detective Reese personally   
arrested his father for blowing up half of   
the harbor."  
  
  
"Tim, little bro," Dick Grayson told him   
gently, "I know that you usually do not pay   
attention to such things, but we have a sister now.   
She's alone with a man, on a vacation to a place   
that some people believe is the most romantic   
vacation spot on the East Coast. Now, what does   
this piece of information tell you?"  
  
  
Tim remained silent for a moment, and then   
his face took on a look of panic that equaled his   
older brother's face. "We got to find her! I'm not   
ready to become an uncle!" he shouted out loud.  
  
  
"You finally get it!" yelled Dick Grayson   
as he rushed to grab the suitcases from the closet.  
  
  
"Do you want to call Dad before we leave?"   
questioned Tim as he packed his computer.  
  
  
"No," replied Dick Grayson as he rushed toward   
one of the bedrooms. "Let's try to find her first --   
before we tell him that she may be trying to make him   
a grandfather!"  
  
  
  
  
TBC... 


	3. Going Batty!

Author's Note: Sorry, this took 

so long, but school is keeping 

me busy, especially finals and 

I'm graduating with my 2nd degree!

Yeah, for me!! Once again sorry 

it tookSo long and that this 

is so short.Anyway here is...

Chapter 3

Two days later...

On the interstate leading 

toward the Rocky Mountains...

            "I can't believe you talked me into this," 

muttered Reese in disbelief  in the passagener 

seat of the red, sixties Mustang.

            "Well, Tennessee was a good idea Reese," 

Helena told him, "But, I figured my...er...

the people who are trying to find me would 

immediately discover your connection with me, 

so I just had to give that nice Smokey Mountain 

vacation to those newlyweds..."

            "In exchanged for their Mustang," 

he finished despairingly, "I could have 

you arrested for that."

            "But you won't," she smugly conveyed 

to him, "Admit it! You thought it was cute 

the way that they jumped for the chance to 

go on a honeymoon, particularly since they 

were broke as well as the fact that they 

just elope."

            Reese just rolled his eyes as he 

remembered the way that Helena particularly 

dragged him down the block from his 

apartment toward couple, offered them the 

trip in exchanged for the car plus the fact 

she and him would be the witnesses at their 

sudden prenuptials. Sighing with weariness, 

he said to her, "Just don't do anything 

like that again!"

            "Reese!" she protested, 

"Don't spoil my fun! Besides you 

just ruined the mental picture, 

I just had!"

            "And what picture was that?" 

he asked sarcastically.

            "Oh...just a couple of people 

who are probably just now going batty!" 

she replied with a Cheshire cat smile.

            ****************************************************

Meanwhile in the Smokey Mountains...

In a room at the Sweetheart Motel…

            "Yeee!!" shrieked a female voice into the night air.

            "What in h#$% are you doing in here? Get out! 

This is supposed to be our honeymoon!" yelled a male voice.

            "Sorry!" shouted a red-faced Dick Grayson and Tim 

Drake as they rushed out of the hotel room that they just 

barged into. "We thought you were someone else!" Dick

told them in a rush as the door slammed loudly in his face.

            "Well, I see you haven't lost you're touch for 

delicate situations, bird-boy," spoke a familiar 

feminine voice behind them.

            "Barbara!" chuckled Dick nervously as he 

turned toward her and Alfred, "Alfred! What are 

you two doing here?"

            Alfred and Barbara just gave him the bat version 

of 'are you just being stupid on purpose' look, while 

Tim gave the most obvious answer, "They're here looking 

for Helena and Detective Reese the same as we are bro, 

but it appears sister dear decided to put us on a wild 

goose chase."

            "A trait, I fear that she inherited from her 

mother, young masters," commented Alfred, "She has 

most definitely made us loose her trail..."

            "And drove us batty at the same time," 

finished Barbara, "Just like Selina."

            "So where on Earth can she be?" 

questioned Dick out loud.

                        ********************************************

A few hours later near sunset...

            Helena sighed with relief as she drove up in the 

drive way of a secluded wooden cabin, "Finally! We're 

here!" she shouted with excitement.

            "Helena," questioned her companion, "Are you sure 

you're godfather is all right with me here?"

            "Of course he is!" protested Helena as 

the door to the cabin opened.

            "Helena!" yelled a male voice joyfully.

            "Uncle Eddie!" she screamed out in excitement 

as she ran up to him and embrace him in a too hug.

Reese just smiled slightly at the joyful reunion, 

as he went to get the luggage at the back of the car, 

he could not help put wonder why and how an ex-career 

criminal known to the world as the Riddler became Helena's 

godfather.

TBC...


	4. Morning Conversations

Chapter 4

Place: A secluded cabin in the 

Rocky Mountains.

Time: 8:00 A.M.

            Reese rubbed his neck as he softly walked 

into the kitchen to get some much-needed coffee, 

suddenly someone behind him asked, "The couch 

was crap, wasn't it?"

            Startled, Reese yelped out, "What is it 

with you people sneaking around and scaring the 

living daylights out of people?"

            "Sorry," apologized ten-year old Amelia 

Nigma as she brushed passed him and made her way 

to the refrigerator, "I thought you be used to 

since your dating, Helena."

            Reese groaned in frustration and then yelled, 

"For the last time, I'm not dating Helena! I just 

found out her name the other night, how can I be 

dating her?"

            Before Amelia could argue her position, 

her mother came into the room, "Now, Amelia, 

be nice to Helena's young man, he just does not 

know what he has gotten himself into...yet," 

scolded Margaret Nigma as she started to fix 

breakfast.

            "Well, he should," muttered Amelia as 

she munched on an apple, "After all he's 

dating the daughter of ..."

            "Amelia!" shouted her mother; 

"Helena needs to tell him in her 

own time."

            "I need to tell what in my own time?" 

questioned Helena as she came into the 

kitchen carrying three-year old Edward Nigma 

Jr., while her godfather followed her with 

his twin sister, Edith Nigma.

            "Amelia was just about to tell me who 

your parents are, when Mrs. Nigma stopped her," 

Reese told her, "So, who are your parents?"

            Helena gave Amelia a furious glare as 

she answered, "My mother was Catwoman, and 

her real name was Selina Kyle."

            "So that's how you got the Riddler as 

your godfather, I was wondering..." muttered 

Reese in amazement.

            "Guilty as charged," Edward Nigma told 

the detective as he placed his namesake in a 

high chair, "Though I'm retired now, I found 

something better than all the money, bats, 

and clowns in Gotham."

            "Edward!" shouted a blushing Margaret 

as she helped Helena get Edith settled into her 

high chair, "Not in front of the children! And 

may I remind you we met after your near-death 

experience with a certain clown!"

            "That's how Daddy got his scars and 

artificial leg," Amelia whispered to Reese, 

"Mommy saved his life after Batman got him 

out of that h^%# hole."

            "Amelia Selina Nigma!" shouted her 

parents, "Watch your language!"

            Amelia rolled her eyes, and muttered 

softly, "Parents!"

            Reese though had other things on his mind, 

"I thought you told me Batman wasn't real! And 

just who is your father?" he questioned Helena 

in frustration.

            Helena merely growled out in fury, 

"No one!"

            "Helena," her godfather told her as 

he buttered some toast, "You might as well 

tell him, and you never did tell us the 

reason for your and the detective's sudden 

appearance."

            "The reason I'm here is that big mouth 

Canary told 'him' and certain others about me!" 

Helena shouted out as she poured some milk 

into her cereal.

            Silence descended into the kitchen, 

finally Margaret muttered, "Oh, good lord."

            "Helena," Edward softly told her, "I 

understand your anger, but it's perhaps for 

the best that he has finally found out. Your 

mother, would have wanted you to get to know 

him as well as..."

            Helena interrupted with a shout, "I do 

not want to get to know 'him' or his little 

tag-a-longs!"

            Confused, Reese whispered to Amelia, 

"What are they talking about?"

            "Helena's father and brothers," 

softly replied Amelia.

            "Oh," muttered Reese, "Wait a minute, 

brothers?"

            "Uh-huh," answered Amelia, "Shhh, this 

is getting interesting."

            "Helena," Edward said as he rubbed his 

nose in frustration, "I realize that they were 

never there for you..."

            "Oh, do not start with 'it was for your 

own safety crap!'" bellowed Helena, "Mom did 

that to me when I Amelia's age, what really gets 

me is that he or any of them never...never! 

Attempted to stop her murder or ..."

            As Helena choked up, her godfather finished 

her sentence, "Or attempted to apprehend Clayface 

for her murder. Helena..."

            But Helena stood up and rushed out of the 

room crying, sighing in frustration, Edward 

muttered, "Well, that went well!" 

            "I'll go..." Reese started to say, but 

was cut off by Helena's godfather.

            "No," Edward told him as he gestured for 

him to stay in his seat, "Let her calm down, 

besides you'll never find her when she's like this. 

Takes after her father in that department from 

what I learned over the years and from her mother... 

she'll find the most darkest, most unreachable place 

that she can find and brood for quite some time."

            "So, who is her father?" questioned Reese 

for the third time.

            "You might as well tell him, Dad," commented 

Amelia, "Maybe he can help you to knock some sense 

into her."

            "I still feel Helena should be the one to tell 

him," Margaret said stating her own opinion, "But 

since 'he' has found out about her, it will only be a 

matter of time until 'he' tracks her down here. No matter 

what false trails that Helena has laid out before 

she left Gotham."

            "Very well," sighed Edward as he surrender 

to the inevitable, "Helena's father was my 

greatest nemesis."

            "And he was?" questioned Reese with a 

sinking suspicion in the back of his mind.

            "Batman," admitted Edward.

            "Oh," muttered Reese, and then for the first 

time in his life, he fainted.


	5. Memories: Superman

Chapter 5

Time: Twenty-Four hours ago...

Before the events of chapter 4...

Place: Gotham City...

Helena's apartment 

above the Dark Horse Saloon...

            A dark figure silently made it's way through 

the apartment, the figure took in the apartment's 

ragged décor as well as the fact there were clothes 

thrown carelessly around the apartment. The figure

shook his head in disbelief, and then looked at the 

device within his hand...slowly he made his way to 

the portrait of one Selina Kyle...he stopped 

momentarily as he gazed longingly at the portrait 

and then with resolved he searched for the secret 

mechanism that the device informed him was near 

the portrait, finally he found it!

            As the wall swung open and the lights came on 

automatically within the secret room, the figure 

gasped in astonishment as he gazed at the room's 

contents. He was expecting equipment that one found 

when discovering a vigilante's lair...he was not 

expecting an artist's studio! As he gazed around his 

eyes came into contact with several pictures, awards, 

as well as diplomas that hung from the wall...

            Pictures of a young Helena Kyle with her 

mother or godfather, sometimes both of them...

diplomas from the University of Paris awarding 

one Helena Kyle with a bachelor's, master's, and 

finally a doctor's degree in the fine arts, 

specifically historical arts and animation...

the awards were for one 'Tabby Knight' 

alongside the awards were samples of her 

award-winning comic strip "Heroes and Villains"...

            However, a certain framed article 

interested the figure the most...the 

article was dated fifteen years ago and 

it stated: "An Interview with Tabby Knight 

by Clark Kent...alongside this article, 

a legal document signed by one Clark Kent 

stating that he would not revel to anyone 

in public or private who Tabby Knight truly 

was...the figure growled in anger as he took 

this particular frame from the wall and 

stormed from the mysterious room in a fury...

                        *********************************************

Later at the Watchtower...

            The Justice League, (consisting of Superman, 

Wonder Woman, Aquaman, the Flash, Plastic Man, Green 

Lantern, and the Martin Manhunter), were in a middle 

of a meeting when the Batman stormed in...

            "Batman!" yelled a furious Wonder Woman, 

"How dare you come in here! You know very well 

that we kicked you out..."

            But she never finished her statement as 

the Batman threw at the Man of Steel the frame

that he had 'borrowed' from his daughter's 

apartment; Superman caught the frame before it 

could break into his face, "Batman, what..." 

but he trailed off as he glanced what was in 

the frame, "Oh, no," he softly said as he 

became very pale.

            Everyone remained silent as the stared 

between the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel; 

everyone could sense the tension in the room, 

finally J'onn asked, "Is something wrong?"

            But neither Superman nor Batman 

answered the Martian, instead Batman 

growled out, "Where is she?"

            Superman remained silent, but the 

other heroes glanced at each other in 

confusion, "Where's who Bats?" 

questioned Plastic Man.

            Again no one answered, Superman 

finally stood up, "I'll be back...I need 

to think this through..." he said as he 

left the room, he could hear the Batman 

shout out, "Why do you need to think this 

through? Where in h*** is my daughter?"

                        ***********************************************

A few minutes later...

At the Fortress of Solitude...

            Superman sighed as he rubbed his face 

in weariness; he was currently seating in the 

'living room' of the great fortress waiting 

for one of his robot companions to bring back 

a piece of Martha Kent's apple pie that he 

had stored here along with other food items. 

Finally the robot came into the room with a 

small tray, "Here is your pie as well as the

 glass of buttermilk you order Master Kal-el."

            "Thanks, Ra-1," he told the robot as 

he took the tray, "Ra-1, how many times have 

I told you not to call me 'Master?'

            "Numerous times, master," replied the 

robot, "But it is in my programming to do so. 

Will there be anything else?"

            "No," he sighed as he made a mental 

note to change the robot's programming just 

a tad, right now he had bigger problems to 

tell with, "However, I do not wish to be 

disturb for a time, if anyone calls and it 

is not a world-ending type of emergency, 

tell them I need some privacy."

            "Even Lady Kal-el?" questioned Ra-1, 

"Or Master and Mistress Kent?"

            Wincing as he thought of Lois's 

reaction of being called 'Lady Kal-el,' 

he muttered to himself, "I'll definitely 

will have to tweak that programming," 

and then out loud he said, "No one, Ra-1. 

If my family calls just tell them I'm 

having a bat problem at the moment."

            "Very well, Master," said the robot 

and then left the room.

            Sighing, the Man of Steel reached 

for his buttermilk as he pondered his bat 

problem, 'I should have never taken that 

assignment,' he thought to himself, 'If I 

knew then, what I know now...I would not 

be in this mess! On the other hand, I would 

most likely be in this mess anyway...Lord...

even after all this time...I still can not 

believe what Catwoman and the Riddler have 

managed to hide right underneath Bruce's 

nose!'

                        **********************************************

Flashback

Time: Fifteen Years Ago...

Place: Central City Airport...

            Clark Kent sighed with relief as he 

stepped into the busy airport; he hated to 

fly...in planes! If he had to fly, it would 

be under his own power...thank you very much!

            As he attempted to recover from his 

flight, he heard a voice shout out, "Mr. 

Kent! Mr. Kent!"

            Clark Kent looked up and gasped at 

the sight before him, there was Edward 

Nigma alias the Riddler, standing before 

him in a business suit. The Riddler had 

once been a great adversary of the Batman, 

but for the past few years he seemed to be 

in a semi-retirement after he moved his 

operations to Central City. 

            Noticing his shock appearance, the 

Riddler said, "Ah...so you recognize me? I 

just hope you remember your confidentiality 

agreement you signed before we agreed for 

you to do this interview?"

            Coming out of his shock, Mr. Kent 

replied, "Yes, I remember, Mr. Nigma. 

Tell me are you Tabby Knight, the one

I am suppose to interview?"

            "Oh, no! My dear man!" stated 

Mr. Nigma as he led the reporter to 

his car in the parking lot, "I'm Tabby's 

godfather and one of the CEO's of 

Labyrinth Publishing!"

            "Oh...then why?" questioned 

Mr. Kent as he entered the car, but 

was interrupted by the Riddler.

            "Why do I continue to do what I 

usually do?" asked Mr. Nigma as they 

drove off, "Well...partially to stay in 

touch in the game in order to give Tabby 

information for her comic strip, and 

partially out of boredom. I just love 

driving the Flash crazy with my riddles! 

(Laugh) That boy is nothing like his 

Uncle Barry!"

            "Hey!" protested the reporter, 

"His not that bad!"

            "Oh, of course his not! His not 

bad in catching my...er...colleges whom 

use more muscle than brains...but he is 

just so young! And very impatient! I do 

realize he has has some brains in that 

thick skull of his, but he rarely uses 

them! Someone needs to teach him that 

as well as some patience! And since his 

elders are too busy or they think he is 

a carbon copy of his late uncle...well...

I suppose it might as well be me! 

Otherwise if he runs into someone who is 

not as merciful as I am...well...you 

get the picture."

            "I suppose," Clark Kent grudgely 

replied as he made a mental note to spend 

more time with the young Flash.

            They remained silent to one another 

for the rest of the drive, finally they 

stopped in front of a secluded cabin within 

the Rocky Mountains, "Here we are," stated 

Mr. Nigma, "Now before we go in, you must 

know that Tabby's real name is..." he was 

cut off as a young voice shouted out, 

"Uncle Eddie!"

            Looking toward the roof, the men 

gasped, one in amazement, one in concern 

at the sight that was before them...a 

fifteen-year old girl sat cross-legged 

on the rook with ease. As Clark Kent used 

his unique vision, he observed that the 

young girl had long dark hair wrapped in 

a pony tale and dark blue eyes; she was 

wearing a baggy black shirt with blue jeans 

and a pair of sandals. As she gave a 

brilliant smile to the men below, she 

yelled out, "Hey, is that the reporter 

from the Daily Planet? He's early, and Mom 

has gone to the market to get dinner!"

            "Helena Louise Kyle!" bellowed 

Edward Nigma; "You get your butt off that 

roof right now!"

            "Ahh," whined Helena, "But, I like 

it up here! You and Mom used to do it all 

the time!"

            "That was then, this is now!" 

yelled Edward, "Get down!"

            Rolling her eyes in disgust, 

only Clark Kent could hear her mutter, 

"Adults!"

            Concerned, he asked Nigma, "Won't 

she need a ladder to get down?"

            "No," he replied, "She's a half 

meta human, her mother is Selina Kyle...

you may know her as Catwoman."

            "Oh," muttered Clark as he watched 

the young girl jumped down from the roof 

with ease.

            As she made her toward the men, she 

introduced herself, "Hey, as Uncle Eddie...

er...told you, I'm Helena Kyle...I am also 

known as 'Tabby Knight', the genius behind 

'Heroes and Villains,' star of Labyrinth 

Publishing, and possible the only person next 

to Superman that old Lexy Boy would love to 

discover my secret identity and thus cut me 

to pieces...literally."

            "Helena!" yelled her godfather in 

protest as they went into the cabin.

            "Well, it true!" protested Helena.

            "Of course, it's true," Edward told her, 

"But he's the least of our worries if..."

            "I know, I know," muttered Helena and 

then started reciting a lecture she had heard 

a thousand times before, " 'Don't joke about 

such things Helena! If anyone in the criminal 

underworld, particular the Joker finds you and 

knows whose daughter you are...you're as good 

as dead!' Sheesh! I get the point! Besides why 

are you so worried you and Mom both taught me 

to defend myself? No...wait let me answer myself...

'there are worse criminals than either of us 

were Helena, do not underestimate them...

especially the Joker!' Gads...anyway...what's 

your name Mr. Reporter-from-the Daily Planet?"

            "Helena, manners..." reprimanded her 

godfather as he sank into the lounge chair 

in the living room, while Helena jumped on to 

the sofa, "And don't jump on the furniture."

            Clark Kent tried not to laugh as he 

went to the rocking chair, he could not 

decide which was funnier the sarcastic young 

teenager or a famous criminal lecturing the 

said teenager, finally he answered Helena's 

question, "My name is Clark Kent."

            "Ohh," squealed Helena in excitement, 

"You do nearly all of those Superman stories, 

can you tell me any good gossip relating to 

him? Every since we got back from Paris, 

I haven't had any good material! It's a real 

shame too...the JLE gave me such great 

material, and in huge amounts as well!"

            Mentally wincing at her idea, Clark 

Kent replied, "I'll see what I can do..."

            ****************************************************

Later that evening...

During dinner...

            Clark Kent sighed as he put down his fork, 

the interview was nearly finish and the dinner he 

had was magnificent, "That was terrific," he told 

Selina Kyle, "I never realize..."

            "That a former criminal such as myself 

could cook so well?" Selina finished his 

sentence for him, (Laugh) "Well, I had lots of 

practice...even before Helena was born."

            Noticing the look in her mother's eye, 

Helena immediately pounced, "Your thinking 

about Dad...I know you are! Who is he?"

            Selina sighed as she put down her fork, 

"Helena, your godfather and I both told 

you that..."

            " 'It was too dangerous!' quoted Helena, 

"What is so dangerous about knowing who my 

father is?"

            "Helena," sighed Selina wearily, "This 

is neither the time nor the place to have 

this discussion."

            "It is never the time or place!" yelled 

Helena, and then she stormed up to her room.

            As the adults stared after her, Clark Kent 

stated, "Maybe I should leave, I have that flight 

to catch back tonight..."

            "That's perhaps for the best," agreed Edward 

Nigma, "Selina will you be all right?"

            "I'll be fine," cracked Selina as tears came 

down her face, "I'm sorry that the evening ended on 

such a bad note...if you'll excuse me..." Then she 

raced up the stairs in tears.

                        ******************************************

Later ...

            As they toward Central City, Clark Kent 

asked the former criminal, "May I ask a favor 

Mr. Nigma? I know this is none of my business 

and you will most likely not answer my question...

but...who is Helena Kyle's father? I promise 

on my word of honor that I will never tell a 

another soul."

            The Riddler, however remained silent, 

but just before the reporter left the car to 

go into the airport, he said, "Tell me Mr. 

Kent, do you think you can share the burden 

that Selina and I share? The secret that we 

dare not tell due to its great burden? Or 

the danger if the Joker or any other Gotham 

criminal ever found out our secret? Then 

riddle me this my dear Mr. Kent, what happens 

when a bat meets a cat under the blue moon? 

That is the answer to your boon, if you tell 

it...it shall be your doom." Then he drove 

off into the night...

            Clark Kent stood there silently for 

a few minutes, pondering the riddle, finally 

the answer came to him, "Oh, dear Lord," 

he muttered in disbelief, "Bruce..."

End Flashback

                        ******************************************

Place: The Watchtower

            'That was one of the few time that I ever 

wished I could get drunk,' mused Superman to 

himself as he entered the monitor room of the 

Watchtower, the Green Lantern was on duty, "

Where is 'he'?" he questioned the young man.

            "In the meeting room where we left him," 

replied the Green Lantern, "Supes, what is going 

on? Does Bats really have a daughter? He would 

not show us that frame he threw at you no matter 

how hard we tried."

            Superman smiled sadly as he answered the 

questions in the order that they were given, 

"I'll explain later, and yes he does." Then he 

left the room, he found the Batman in the darkened 

meeting room staring out the window that overlooked 

the planet and the rest of the cosmos. "Batman," 

he stated simply.

            "Superman, where is she? Please tell me...

she's not in Gotham," pleaded the Dark Knight 

softly.

            "She may be at her childhood home with 

her godfather and his family," Superman told 

his friend, "I'll take you there, if your ready, 

old friend."

            "I've been ready since the Black Canary 

sent me that package," the Batman replied sadly, 

"Take me to her, old friend. Its past time that 

I met my daughter."


	6. Memories: The Riddler

Chapter 6

Place: A secluded cabin in the 

Rocky Mountains.

Time: 10:00 A.M.

            Edward Nigma sighed in exhaustion as he sat behind 

the desk within his home office, the kids were in school or 

day care, his lovely wife had already left for work in the 

surgical ward in Central City's hospital, and he was already 

starting his day as the mysterious CEO of Labyrinth Publishing. 

Life was perfect for the former criminal known as the Riddler...

except for the fact that his goddaughter was off brooding 

somewhere, the father of his goddaughter would soon be paying 

a visit to his happy home in order to meet his wandering, 

unknown child, and finally, he had a unconscious Gotham City 

detective on his couch in the living room. The said detective, 

who was a possible suitor for his goddaughter's affections, 

fainted from shock upon gaining knowledge of certain 

individuals as well as being thrust into a world that he 

merely thought was legend.

            Throwing his pen down in disgust, he muttered, 

"Damm Black Canary and her big mouth...hmph! Ten to 

one she'll be the star attraction of this week's "Heroes 

and Villains!" Edward Nigma smiled in amusement at that 

particular thought, and he smiled even more as he thought 

of the comic strip's author...

            *************************************************

Flash Back

Time: Twenty Years in Gotham...

Place: Selina Kyle's apartment...

            Edward Nigma glanced across the kitchen table at 

his five-year-old goddaughter, Helena Kyle, as she drew 

seriously on a blank piece of paper. Selina was out 

prowling for the evening, and she did not want to live 

her daughter alone, nor did she wanted her to find out 

what her mother did part-time...so entered one Edward Nigma, 

godfather extraordinary! The Riddler was the only one who 

knew that Selina, also known as the Catwoman, had a daughter...

and Selina wanted to keep it that way! The Riddler could 

not blame her for her reasoning, if anyone found out about 

Helena...well...the thought was not one worth completing. 

The only reason that Edward knew about Helena was because 

someone had to help Selina out with the child, and he was 

the only one sane enough among the rouges who could do it!  

Though the Riddler had to admit one thing, even to himself...

he would give his very soul to find out who was the father of 

Helena Kyle...Selina refused to say! And the Riddler had a 

sneaky suspicion that it was someone of great importance 

in Gotham City.

            Smiling at the little girl's concentration, the 

Riddler turned his attention back to his work...coming 

up with riddles to baffle the Batman and his followers. 

He was working a job with Two-Face within the week, and 

he had to come up with riddles that would suit both him 

and his partner in crime. Suddenly a small voice 

interrupted his thoughts, "Uncle Eddie, look 

what I made!"

            "What did you made, Sweetie?" he asked as he put 

down his work, earlier that evening Helena told her mother 

and godfather about the wild tales that were going around 

in school about Batman, Robin, and the other costumed 

individuals that were running around Gotham. The Riddler 

thought the tales that Helena repeated to them were amusing, 

but Selina merely frowned in worry for some unknown reason.

            "I drew Robin," she replied in excitement, and then 

handed him the drawing. As soon as her godfather saw the 

drawing, he burst in a rage of laughter. There on the paper, 

perfectly drawn, was a cartoon of Robin, the Boy Wonder. 

He was swinging beneath the Gotham skyline wearing nothing 

but a mask and a baby diaper; he was also sucking on 

a pacifier. 

            Gasping for breath, the Riddler chocked out, 

"H-Helena, this is...words do not even describe it!"

            Helena smiled with pleasure as her godfather managed 

to control himself and looked down at her in pride. The 

Riddler remembered how Selina refused to send her daughter 

to a special school when it was discovered that Helena was 

extremely gifted, particularly in art. "I want her to grow 

up as normally as possible," Selina said at the time; so 

the school system made a compromise with Selina...her 

daughter could attend classes with her peers, if Helena 

attended special classes after school, on Saturdays, as well 

as during the summer in order to encourage as well as educate 

her in her unique gifts. Selina agreed, so Helena attended 

kindergarten in order to maintain social contact with children 

her own age and 7th grade level classes on the side. After a 

moment of silence, the Riddler finally said mischievously as 

an idea began to form in his mind, "Helena, it is my opinion 

that you should draw and write your own comic strip! Your 

unique view of heroes and villains is quite extraordinary!"

            Helena beamed with happiness as she asked, "But who 

would publish it?  Mommy does not like me to meet grown-ups 

very much, and I do not know if she will even agree to it!"

            "Oh, I think she will," replied her godfather, 

"After I talk her in to it...as for who would publish 

it...why I would sweetheart!

            ***********************************************

End Flashback

            'Six months later,' Edward thought to himself, 

'and with Selina's blessing, "Heroes and Villains" 

debuted under Helena's pen name of  "Tabby Knight," it 

was also the debut of Labyrinth Publishing. At the 

time, I started the company as a lark and a possible 

means of gaining a little money legitimately...now the 

company is one of my joys in life, along side Helena, 

my children and wife of course. Of course it doesn't 

hurt to know my company beat "Luthor Comics" into the 

ground. (Chuckle) Lexy was furious when that particular 

company of his went bankrupt! It was a good thing he 

could not find "the mysterious CEO of Labyrinth 

Publishing or Tabby Knight," before he got impeached 

by Congress.'

            Suddenly, Riddler's thoughts were interrupted 

by a groan from the living room, "Well, well," he 

muttered as he reached for his cane and limped into 

the living room, "Sleeping Beauty has finally awaken."

                        *********************************************

            Reese groaned as he sat up on the couch, he look 

up at the wall clock, "Damm," he muttered to himself, 

"It nearly noon!"

            "And you have not had a single thing to eat all 

day," stated Edward Nigma as he came into the living 

room and slowly sat down in an old-fashioned rocking 

chair, "Feeling better, detective?"

            "No," replied Reese and then he pleaded, "Please 

tell me I'm dreaming...please tell me that Helena is not 

the daughter of the Batman!"

            "You're not dreaming," Edward told him, "But if 

it makes you feel any better my reaction was quite 

worse when I found out that Helena's father was indeed 

the Batman."

            Curious by this statement, Reese asked, "So, 

what was your reaction and who told you?"

            "No one told me," replied Edward as he remembered 

the incident, "I found out entirely on my own."

            "How?" questioned Reese.

            Edward Nigma smiled as he dove into his memories, 

"A scowl, when Helena was five, she got into a terrible 

argument with her mother about publishing her work."

            "Publishing what?" asked Reese with curiosity.

            Edward waved his hand, "That is an entirely different 

story my boy, anyway, Helena gave her Selina a furious scowl 

and told her darkly, 'Mommy, we can do this the hard way or 

the easy way...either way I am going to get what I want!' 

Her mother at this point became extremely pale, and I myself 

thought the scowl looked quite familiar...though I could 

not place it at the time...a week later...

                        *****************************************

Flashback

            The Riddler sighed as he waited impatiently for the 

Batman to walk into the trap that he and Two-Face has set 

up in order to get rid of him once and for all. Currently, 

they were both sitting in what passed as living room in 

Two-Face's hideout, watching over their hostages that they 

used as bait in order to capture a bat. The hostages, who 

were Barbara Gordon, and her boyfriend Dick Grayson, were 

currently tied up and gagged on the floor, they were also 

furiously glaring at the two villains. While they were waiting, 

the Riddler decided to use the time to draft his plans, within 

his mind of course, of his future publishing company as well 

as to ponder on the pen name that Selina came up with for her 

daughter. The Tabby part he could understand, but the Knight? 

He was certain that it had something to do with Selina's 

mysterious lover, but where did it go in this unusual 

puzzle scheme?

            "Your awfully quiet tonight, Eddie," interrupted 

Two-Face from his thoughts, "You aren't you excited of 

finishing off the bat?"

            "Oh, I am! My dear friend," reassured the Riddler, 

"But a personal puzzle of mine, as you know, that has been 

plaguing me for quite some time... another piece has been 

given to me, and I am just trying to figure out where to 

place it in the whole puzzle scheme."

            Two-Face chuckled in amusement; "You have been 

working on that puzzle of yours for the past five years! 

Do want us to help you with it?" Two-Face asked.

            "No, but thank-you for the offer," replied the 

Riddler, "This is one puzzle that I must solve on my own."

            "You'll have plenty of time to solve it back at 

Arkham," growled out a mysterious voice as a figure 

stepped out of the shadows.

            "Well, if it isn't the bat!" yelled Two-Face in 

excitement, "What took you so long? Riddler's puzzles 

couldn't have slowed you down that much!"

            The Batman scowled at the villains as he said, 

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way..."

            But before he could finish, the Riddler fell out 

of his chair with a sudden crash. Slowly he got up, but 

he was very pale, and stared at the Batman as if he 

seen a ghost.

            Concerned, Two-Face asked while keeping an eye on 

the Batman, "Riddler! Are you all right?"

            But the Riddler did not answer him; images came 

into his mind as the puzzle that he had been working on 

for so long...finally came together...

                        Two similar dark scowls...

                        Two familiar jaw lines...

                        Both saying: "We can do this 

                        the easy way or the hard way..."

            "Oh, dear lord!" muttered the Riddler softly, 

"It can't be..."

            Two-Face was extremely worried by now, and took 

his eye off the Batman as he gave the Riddler his full 

attention, "Eddie!"  But the Riddler did not answer his 

friend; he just stood there in shock.

            Two-Face's distraction was all that Batman need 

to knock the villain out cold, as he quickly went to 

untie his protégées, he kept one eye on the Riddler in 

case he tried anything, but the Riddler was deep 

within his own mind...

                        Two familiar pairs of blue eyes...

                        Two brilliant minds...

                        Two personalities that tend to 

                        brood at times...

            Later, as the police prepared to lead the two 

criminals away, the Riddler came out of stupor long 

enough to pause in front of Batman and asked, "Batman, 

may I ask you a personal question?"

            Raising an eyebrow, the Batman replied, "You may, 

but I won't guarantee that I'll give you an answer."

While he said this, he thought to himself, 'The Riddler 

has been acting unusual, even for him tonight...I wonder 

what is on his mind to cause him to act like this?'

            "Do you have any talented artists within your 

family tree?" questioned the Riddler with apprehension. 

            Batman frowned at the question as well as in 

thought, finally he answered, "Yes."

            The Riddler closed his eyes in resignation, 

"I feared you would say that," he muttered.

            Confused, the Batman asked, "Why are you 

asking me this Nigma?"

            The Riddler opened his eyes, and stared at his 

nemesis; the Batman shifted uncomfortable due to the 

fact that this was the first time that the Riddler 

stared at him in pity, instead of anger. Finally the 

Riddler answered, "Batman, I dare not say for there are 

too many ears...and before you offer to take me 

somewhere more private I ask you that do not do that...

it...it...is better for you to not know...it is a great 

burden the knowledge that I have...I dearly wish that 

I did not gain it, and remained ignorant of it."

End Flashback

            **************************************************

            "I went to Arkham of course, and escaped a week 

later," Edward Nigma said as Reese ate microwave TV 

dinner, "I confronted Selina with my suspicions, and she 

confirmed them. We decided that both of us would leave 

Gotham in order to protect Helena as well as to avoid 

contact with both Batman and his band of merry men as well 

as to avoid our colleges in Gotham's underworld. We moved 

to Central City, Selina retired from our line of work in 

order to raise Helena, they both lived outside of the city...

as for myself I stayed within the city itself in order to 

gain money to help run the new publishing company that both 

Selina and I started...as well as to drive Central City's 

protector...the Flash... up the wall...literally! Oh...that 

was fun! And when old Bats came into Central City in order 

to catch me and haul me off to Arkham...well I just stayed 

with Selina and Helena until he left town. I just couldn't 

fight with my old enemy anymore because he was the father 

of my little Helena."

            Reese shook his head, "Amazing, and the Batman or 

the Flash couldn't find you when you were not in the city? 

Where did Helena and her Mom live?"

            "Why here of course!" exclaimed Edward with a wave 

of his arm, "Both the Flash and Old Bats placed themselves 

in my shoes whenever I left the city, that was were they 

messed up! They should have placed themselves in Selena's 

shoes, but they or anyone else never knew that Selina lived 

here...no one but me. Helena attended a nearby school, and 

Selina ran our company with the money that I uh...borrowed. 

Soon though the extra money became unnecessary due to the 

fact that Helena's comic strip was a big hit with the public! 

Everything was perfect until..."

            "Until what?" asked Reese as he finished his meal.

            "I'm afraid that is story for another time," whispered 

Edward with pain, "It involves Selina's murder...it's very 

difficult to tell. If that clown didn't capture me, Selina 

would have never returned to Gotham! It...it's my fault 

t...that..."

            "It wasn't your fault," said a voice behind the men, 

they both jumped in their seats and slowly turned around.

            A blue-eyed, dark-haired with hints of gray man 

stood before them, he wore a white t-shirt and blue 

jeans, "Bruce Wayne?" Reese gasped out, "What are you 

doing here?"

            Riddler, on the other hand, sighed wearily as he 

answered for the other man, "He's looking for his 

daughter, detective."

            "I thought Helena's father was Bat..." said Reese, 

but he trailed off as came to the obvious conclusion, "

You...you're Batman!"

            Bruce Wayne did not pay attention to the young man, 

his entire attention was on the Riddler, "Where is she?" 

he growled out to the former criminal.

            Edward Nigma replied with a sigh as he rolled his eyes, 

"Straight to the point as always, nice to see you haven't 

change Bats. I don't know where she is at the moment, she left 

toward the woods this morning to find a private place to brood."

            (Crash!) Both men looked down at the floor at the once 

again unconscious detective, raising an eyebrow at the Riddler, 

Bruce asked in his darkest Batman voice, "What is his problem?"

            "He has had one too many shocks in the past few days," 

replied Edward with a sigh, "Would you like some coffee, my 

old friend while we wait for your lovely daughter?"

            Bruce Wayne merely grunted his reply in the affirmative 

as he picked up the unconscious man in order to place him on 

the couch in the living room.


	7. Memories: The Huntress

Disclaimer: Once again, I own nothing...

Nothing! 

Chapter 7

Place: The Rocky Mountains, 

behind a secluded cabin...

Time: During the events of chapter 6...

            The mid-day sun shone down through the trees 

on the face of Helena Kyle, who was currently perched 

on a giant white pine tree, she stretched lazily as 

she stared over the landscape. 'It seems like 

yesterday,' she thought to herself, 'the day Mom died...

Lord I miss her! The days afterward, seem like a dream...

Uncle Eddie managed to get custody of me, despite his 

criminal record and his disability...but he could only 

gain custody of me if someone moved in with us as a 

co-guardian to me and a watchdog for Uncle Eddie. 

Enter one Dr. Margaret Cranston, the very doctor who 

saved Uncle Eddie's life! Of course at the time we 

thought she did not know what she was getting into...

little did we know what we were getting into!

                                    ***********************************************

Flashback

Time: A month after the death of Selina Kyle...

Place: Gotham City, the apartment of 

Dr. Margaret Cranston...

            Sixteen-year old Helena Kyle frowned in 

concentration as she carefully painted on the 

half-finished portrait of Selina Kyle...the radio 

was blasting out her favorite rock songs and tears 

were silently running down her face. She had been 

working on the portrait of her mother since the 

day of her mother's funeral...she rarely left 

her room except to eat or to use the bathroom...

despite the best efforts of her godfather 

and the good doctor. 

            Currently, her godfather was in physical 

therapy and Dr. Cranston was in surgery...so she 

was left alone in the apartment...suddenly the 

music stopped, turning around Helena looked 

over the room...but nothing was there! Frowning 

even more, she went to turn the music back on...

but was stopped by a queer chuckle. "Whose there?" 

she shouted as she looked around the room once 

more, this time through the cat-like eyes she 

inherited from her mother...seeing nothing. Her 

eyes shifted back to a dark blue, "I'm going 

crazy," she muttered as she turned the music 

back on and started once more on the portrait...

End Flashback

                        ******************************************

            "I wasn't going crazy despite what I believe 

at the time," Helena thought to herself, "But what 

was going to happen would change my life forever..."

                        ******************************************

Flashback

That night at dinner...

            "So, how was your day Helena?" asked 

Edward Nigma as passed a dish of potatoes to 

Dr. Cranston.

            "It was all right," she said as she played 

with her food, "I nearly got the portrait done...

but..."

            "But?" questioned Dr. Cranston as she put 

the potatoes on her plate.

            "But I keep getting the feeling of being 

watched all day, and then there was this queer 

laugh..." Helena never finished her sentence as 

the good doctor slammed the potato dish on the 

table and stood up with hands on her hips.

            "Grandfather!" Dr. Cranston bellowed, 

"Show yourself!  Honestly, how many times 

must I tell you? I am nearly forty and most 

certainly not your little girl anymore!"

            "Uh...Margaret? Is there something wrong? 

I do not see anyone here?" questioned Edward.

            "Margaret, now...is it? What is happening 

between you and my granddaughter, Mr.Nigma?" 

questioned a mysterious voice as it gave a 

queer chuckle.

            "Grandfather," growled out Dr. Cranston 

furiously as her eyes suddenly glowed a soft 

white, "Two of us can play this game, and you 

were the one who taught me! Show yourself!"

            Suddenly, a man with black slouched hat 

and a red scarf around his mouth appeared out 

of thin air, both Helena and her godfather gave 

a startled yelp, the mysterious figure said as 

his black cloak swirled around him, "I am still 

the master, my dear child...and you will always 

be my little girl. Are you going to introduce me 

to your guests?"

            Dr. Cranston rolled her eyes in weariness 

as she muttered, "How grandmother ever put up 

with him! Aggh! Helena, Edward this is my 

grandfather...the Shadow."

            Helena frowned in confusion as she asked 

her pale godfather, "The Shadow? Wasn't that the 

name of the bogyman vigilante that you used to 

tell me about Uncle Eddie? I thought you told me 

he wasn't real?"

            "Bogyman!" yelled the Shadow as he howled 

with laughter. 

            "I thought he wasn't real," muttered the 

Riddler in fear.

            "Oh, he's real all right," muttered Dr. 

Cranston as she slumped into her chair, "And a 

real big pain in the neck!"

            "Now, Margaret," chided the Shadow as he 

calmed down, "I only wanted to make certain you 

were safe, I am pleased that you have reform...

Mr. Nigma."

            "Thanks...I think," whimpered the Riddler 

as he thought to himself, "And I thought the 

Batman was bad!"

            Once again the Shadow barked out a creepy 

laugh as he said, "I am much worse than Ms. Kyle's 

father, Mr. Nigma."

            "H-how?" stuttered the Riddler.

            "He can read your mind," Dr. Cranston told 

the Riddler, "Grandfather, would you please stop 

your melodramatic acts and sit down like a 'normal' 

human being?"

            "Very well," replied the Shadow as he 

disappeared, suddenly a gray-haired man in a 

dark business suit appeared before them, 

"Is this better?"

            "Much," muttered his granddaughter as 

she set another place at the table.

            "That's your grandfather!" shouted Helena, 

"He's a hottie!"

            At the same time, her godfather yelled, 

"Your Lamont Cranston CEO of Cranston 

Enterprises!"

            Once again, a slight chuckle escaped Lamont 

Cranston as he told the shock pair, "Thank you for

the compliment, Ms. Kyle...I always appreciate a

compliment from such a lovely lady such as your self.

However, I must correct you Mr. Nigma...my grandson 

is now the CEO of my company...as well as certain 

other businesses. I'm retired now, much to my wife's 

relief."

            "Hmph!" muttered Margaret Cranston, "Retired!

You certainly do not act like someone who is retired!"

Noticing her guests confused looks, she explained, 

"My baby brother, John Cranston, took over Grandfather's 

mantle as the Shadow a few years ago. Unfortunately,

Grandfather still enjoys terrorizing the criminal 

underworld for a past time! He needs to try something

new! He is most definitely not a young man anymore!"

            "Margaret, really," Lamont Cranston told her, 

"You wound me to the core! Your only as young as you

feel, according to the old saying. At least I am not

taking up your grandmother's hobby, just be thankful

that she is focused on John at the moment and not you 

my dear!"

            "What hobby is that?" whispered Edward to

Margaret. 

            Margaret Cranston snorted in disgust as

she replied, "Matchmaking, Grandma would like

nothing better than to see John and I settled

down and start giving her great-grandchildren!" 

Sighing, she placed a spare table setting and 

asked her grandfather, "So, what brings you 

here besides to check up on me? You would not 

have reveled your identity so easily to 

strangers."

            "You know me too well, Margaret," 

Mr. Cranston told her and then turned his 

attention to Helena, "I've come to make 

an offer to you Ms. Kyle."

            "To me?" asked Helena in surprise.

            "Yes," replied Mr. Cranston, "You are

quite similar to me, Helena. If you truly 

desire to avenge your mother's death and to 

protect the innocent...then I am willing 

to take you on as my apprentice."

            "What?" yelled Helena, Margaret, and 

Edward in surprise.

            "I believe you heard me," Mr. Cranston 

calmly replied as he dug into his meal, "And 

you just told me Margaret that a needed a new

past time."

            "There is no way in h%&* that my 

goddaughter is getting into the very 

thing that murdered her mother and nearly 

got me killed!" Nigma shouted out.

            "I believe that is Ms. Kyle's choice," 

Mr. Cranston told him, "Besides, she is already 

going down the very path you wish to prevent her 

from taking, today...for an example...she tried 

on her mother's mask for a few moments.

            "Helena!" shouted her godfather in outrage.

            Helena blushed a deep red, but managed to 

explain, "Well, nobody, including the Batman, is 

doing anything to catch the man who actually killed 

my mother! He's too busy escorting the Joker to 

some prison in California!" 

            Mr. Cranston barked out in a huge laugh 

suddenly...Helena, Edward, and Margaret stared 

at him in shock...finally, he said with amusement, 

"You have not told her who her father is?"

            "H-how?" stuttered Edward in fear.

            "I know," Mr. Cranston, said simply, "Well?"

            "I...Selina...did not want her to know..." 

Edward muttered.

            "Know what?" demanded Helena, "Just who is 

my father?"

            "You can not keep these type of things a 

secret forever," Mr. Cranston as he glanced at his 

granddaughter, "Believe me...I know from experience. 

Do you wish to tell her or shall I?"

            Edward Nigma stared at his goddaughter; 

he opened his mouth and then closed it again. 

With a shake of his head, he replied, 

"I-I can't...I-I just can't..."

            "Very well," Mr. Cranston told him 

and then turned his full attention to Helena, 

"I said earlier that we were similar Ms. Kyle..."

            "Yes," Helena told him uncertainly.

            "You know what evil lurks in the hearts 

of men, Helena...just as I do," explained 

Mr. Cranston, "You inherited that trait from 

your late mother, the Catwoman. But, like myself...

you have a strong sense of justice and a desire 

to protect the innocent. You inherited that 

particular trait from your father, the Batman."

            It was one of the few times in her young 

life, Helena was completely shock, finally, she 

stuttered out, "Y-your joking! Isn't he, 

Uncle Eddie?"

            Edward Nigma shook his head sadly as he 

answered, "I'm afraid not, sweetie. The Joker, 

and every criminal in Gotham knew that your 

mother was the lover of the Batman. When you 

were born...she tried to continue her way of 

life with my help, but it became too much. She 

feared that the Joker would, as I did, find 

out about you and who your father was. That 

is why we hid your very existence from your 

father and his merry band as well as the Gotham 

underworld...we feared for your life, Helena! 

The reason that your mother was killed was not 

only due to the fact that she was once Catwoman; 

it was because she was the Batman's true love! 

I discovered this a few days ago from...err...

a former college that the Joker hired a 

criminal known as Clayface to kill your mother, 

Helena...you know the rest."

            Helena remained silent during her 

godfather's explanation, silent tears ran 

down her face...when he finished she let 

out an anguish howl and raced to her room.

            "Helena!" yelled her godfather.

End Flashback

                        ******************************************

            "Helena!" yelled the voice of her 

mentor, she looked down from the tree, 

and there stood Lamont Cranston, 

the Shadow.

            "What?" she yelled, " 'He' hasn't 

figured out who trained me has 'he'? We 

kept it a secret from Al and Barbara just 

as you requested!"

            "I know, Helen!" he shouted, "We 

are overdue for a long talk, and I can not 

hold a conversation with you if you're up 

in a tree! Come down!"

            Rolling her eyes, she leapt from 

the tree and landed gracefully in front 

of her mentor, "What do you want?"

            Lamont Cranston sighed with weariness, 

'She is indeed very much similar to me', he 

thought to himself as he said out loud, "Helena, 

we need to have a little chat about forgiveness."

            "Forgive whom?" she asked sarcastically.

            "Helena," he warned her in a dangerous 

voice, "Do you remember what I told you about 

what I had done before I became the Shadow?"

            "Yes," she answered, "You became a 

drug lord in China after the first World War."

            "Before that," he told her, "When I was 

an officer assigned to protect the Czar's family."

            Remembering his graphic description 

of the massacre, she replied, "Yes."

            "Very well, what I did not tell you was 

that one member of the Czar's family survived, 

her name was Anastasia," he informed her.

            Helena's eyes widen in shock, "That old 

tale is true! I thought she died with the rest 

of her family!"

            "She did die in a way," he explained, 

"I managed to save her from the massacre, I 

gave her a new name and life in America...

then I went to China to loose myself in grief 

and anger over what I failed to do...protect 

the Czar's family. Years later, in about...oh...

1936, I met Anastasia again, except her name 

was now Hannah White. She had grown up into 

a mad woman, filled with grief and anger at me 

for she never forgave me for not protecting 

her family. She went on a killing spree, 

destroying anything that had emotional value 

to me...she nearly killed Margo before I 

shot her in the head."

            "Wow," muttered Helena softly.

            "Wow, indeed," he continued, "For I had 

killed the last living child of Czar Nicholas, 

the last emperor of Russia.  I felt extremely 

guilty, over what I had done Helena. Remember, 

when I told you we were very similar?"

            "Yes," she replied with curiosity.

            "You are also similar to Anastasia," he 

told her, "When I took you on as pupil...I wanted 

to help you deal with your grief and anger...

I did not want to see another young girl end up 

like the poor princess who survived her family's 

massacre."

            "But I am not like her!" she protested.

            "Oh, but you are!" said her mentor, "You 

have never forgiven your father, just as Anastasia 

never forgave me! Your father feels just as 

guilty for your mother's death as I did that cold 

day the Czar's family was massacred...in fact...

I still feel guilty for the massacre. It's 

something that is not easily forgotten...and I 

dearly wished that Anastasia could have forgiven 

me...for maybe it would have helped me to forgive 

myself."  And with these words of wisdom...he 

left his student in the forest to think about 

what he had just told her.

TBC...


	8. Can you forgive me?

Author's Note: Sorry this is so late...

The past two weeks have been extremely 

busy! Anyway this is the last chapter, 

I hope you enjoy it and please tell 

me what you think,pretty please!

Chapter 8

Place: The Rocky Mountains, 

behind a secluded cabin...

Time: Shortly after the events of chapter 7...

            The sun was setting over the Rocky Mountains, 

and a cool breeze stirred the dark hair of Bruce 

Wayne has he sat on the veranda of the Nigmas' cabin, 

despite the comfort of his surroundings, he was 

anything but comfortable. His daughter was somewhere 

in the woods in an attempt to hide from him, and here 

he was sitting on the porch of a former nemesis, 

sipping coffee, and watching his former enemy, Edward 

Nigma, give the now conscious Detective Reese a tour 

of the gardens. Suddenly, a black van came up the drive, 

soon before he could blink a blonde-haired girl jumped 

out of the vehicle and made a wild dash to her father, 

while her mother attempted to get two sleepy red-haired 

toddlers into the house for their nap.

            "Daddy!" she screamed as she reached him, 

"Guess who is here?"

            "I have no idea," then he trailed off as he 

noticed the black Jaguar parked behind the family 

van, "Wonderful! Hail, hail! The gang is all here!" 

            Detective Reese observed as a young dark-haired 

man in his early thirties and an elderly lady left the 

car, and into the house. "Who is that?" he asked as 

Amelia raced back into the house.

            Edward Nigma sighed with fatigue as he and 

Det. Reese slowly made their way back to the cabin, 

"My brother-in-law, John Cranston," he answered, 

"The elderly woman with him is my grandmother-in-law, 

Margo Cranston. And I am certain, that my 

grandfather-in-law, Lamont Cranston, is lurking a

round somewhere."

            Reese frowned in concern at the tone of fear 

that he could hear in Edward Nigma's voice, "You 

don't get along with them?" he asked.

            "No, we get along fine!" protested Edward Nigma, 

"When they're on the other end of the country, particular 

John and Lamont! They're...err...well...let's just say 

that they have a presence that is scarier than Batman."

                        ***************************************

A few hours later...

            Reese could understand Edward Nigma's underlying fear, 

a few hours in the company of John Cranston, and then 

later Lamont Cranston, firmly convinced the young man that he 

did not want to get on the bad side of these men! There was 

just something about them that reminded Reese of childhood 

tales of bogeymen in closets and ghosts haunting old houses. 

Deciding that he was safer in the company of Bruce Wayne, or 

Batman as he was known in the hero community, then with the 

current gentlemen in the living room, he went in search of 

the great Dark Knight.

            He found him on the veranda sipping coffee and observing 

Edward Nigma teaching his oldest daughter to dance in the garden 

for the upcoming talent show that was being held at Amelia's 

school. "What do you want?" questioned Bruce Wayne as he 

continued to observe Nigma and his daughter. 

            "Nothing, just decided I was safe...I mean your 

company...ahh...forget it!" replied Reese.

            Bruce Wayne turned to stare at Detective Reese, and for 

the first time since he discovered that he had a daughter, 

smiled. Though it was a very small smile, "Lamont Cranston and 

his grandson do give off a very daunting presence...don't look 

so shock detective...even a Dark Knight can get scared at 

times. But if you tell anyone, I'll deny it."

            The two detectives remained quiet for a moment, 

observing Edward and Amelia Nigma, finally Reese 

commented, "She's beautiful, you know."

            "Who?" asked Bruce without looking up.

            "Helena," Reese replied, "She's beautiful, both inside 

and out, Selina Kyle and as much as I hate to say this, Edward 

Nigma, did a terrific job in raising her. Though that does not 

mean she has her faults: She's broody, paranoid, and I've 

recently discovered that she has a mean streak of mischief."

            Bruce Wayne turned to again stare at the young man who 

seemed to be extremely interested in his daughter, the interest 

also appeared to be vice versa, finally he told the younger man, 

"That streak she gets from her mother, Selina always enjoyed 

sending me out on wild goose chases, drove me crazy! Of course 

at the time I did not realize it was not the chases that made me 

crazy, it was the woman behind the mask."

            "She was crazy about you too," said a voice behind them, 

both men jumped in surprise, turning around they found Helena 

Kyle standing before them. Noticing her father's surprise, she 

smirked in pleasure, "Gee...I slipped up behind the great Batman 

and surprised him! Maybe I'll go down in the history books as 

the first person to surprise the Dark Knight from behind."

            "It is not a first, but it is one of the few times 

someone has done that," informed Bruce Wayne, "Who taught 

you to do that? I did not even hear you come up and I know 

Barbara did not teach you due to the fact you have been 

the Huntress for a few years before Barbara found you 

in London."

            Helena smiled mysteriously as she replied, "Hey, 

a girl has to have some secrets from her father. Reese 

would you mind if...?"

            Reese sighed as he looked wearily into the living room, 

Margo Cranston was again lecturing her grandson about his 

single status, and Margaret Nigma was busy cooking dinner as 

well as coaxing her youngest children to eat the nutritious 

food before them. Sighing, he said, "I'll just go help Mrs. 

Nigma in the kitchen, while you two talk." And with that 

statement he left the father and daughter to have they're 

long overdue conversation.

            The two stared at each other for a moment, finally 

Bruce said to his daughter, "I'm sorry, Helena. I'm sorry 

I did not save your mother, for leaving in Gotham, for not 

being there to help raise you..."

            "Stop!" command Helena; "I understand why you weren't 

there for me when I was little and for leaving me in Gotham, 

but what I want to know is why couldn't you save Mom if you 

loved her, why didn't you go after Clayface?"

            Sighing, Bruce Wayne rubbed his face wearily before he 

answered his daughter's questions, "For starters, I loved your

 mother with all my heart, if I had even a hint that she was 

in danger...or you for that matter...I would have taken steps 

to protect both you and your mother. However, I did not know 

what the Joker was planning and to make certain I did not 

find out about the assignation attempt, he kept me busy in 

Africa. He threatened to send a nuclear missile off in Liberia 

in order to attack and kill the entire U.N. as well as the rest 

of New York City. I managed to stop him, but not without a 

heavy price. You know what happened to your mother and Barbara, 

but what you may not know is that when I was attempting to stop 

the missile, the Joker found Robin nearby attempting to save his 

birth mother; he shot Robin's mother with one of his Smilax guns 

and then proceeded to beat Robin to death. When I found them, 

Robin was covered in blood, and barely breathing...he...

he died in my arms while the Joker escaped...his maniacally 

laughter ringing in my ears."

            "But...but...Robin is still alive! I heard he was 

living with Nightwing in Bludhaven for the summer!"

 protested Helena.

            "The Robin you speak of is the third Robin, Tim Drake," 

replied her father, "The Robin I speak of is a street boy that 

I adopted after Dick gave up the mantle, his name was Jason 

Todd. He just turned thirteen when he died, and then when I 

finally found the Joker...he ...informed me of what he done 

to your mother and Barbara...I nearly killed him!"

            "But you didn't," muttered Helena, she secretly knew 

this part of the story, but she wasn't about to steal her 

father's thunder, besides it would have only led to questions 

that she was not about to answer.

            "No," her father continued, unaware of Helena's thoughts, 

"An old Englishman in old fashioned safari clothes, stopped me...

he told me that I would be sinking to the Joker's level if I 

killed him, the old guy also said I would be crossing a line. 

He was quite strange this old Englishman, I stood numbly as he 

tied up the Joker who was unconscious by this time, as he tied 

him up he said that I might think I know what evil lurks in the 

hearts of men, but I did not and he prayed I never will. For 

if I do, I would be joining a world that I would never be 

comfortable in and may in time become quite insane from this 

world. He rambled on about how one of my children will know 

and the understand the delicate balance in this mysterious 

world, before I could question him about who he was and why 

he keep rambling about this mysterious world, he was gone when 

I turned my back for just a moment. Odd isn't it?"

            "Odd," muttered Helena as she thought about her own 

meetings with the mysterious old Englishman, "What about 

Clayface?"

            "I don't know," replied her father with a sigh, "He 

disappeared the day your mother died. I've been keeping an 

eye out for him, but he has gone deep underground. Perhaps...

perhaps we could ..."

            "Hunt for him together?" finished Helena, "Sort of a 

father and daughter outing...just the two of us?"

            "Yes," replied her father, "That is...if you can 

forgive me?"

            Helena stared at her father as she searched her heart, 

finally she said, "Yes, I can...Mom would have wanted me to 

forgive you and to get to know you, she would have locked me 

up in my room for being such a jackass the way I was acting 

toward you, Dick, and Tim. However, there is one thing I 

need to do."

            "And what is that may I ask?" he questioned.

            "Oh, I just need to ask Lamont and Reese to do me 

a very tiny favor," she replied mischievously.

                        ************************************************

Epilogue

Time: A few days later...

Place: Gotham City, Clocktower...

                        "Reese!" exclaimed Dinah as she raced toward 

the young man who was coming through the door, "You're back! 

Where is Helena?"

            "Oh, she's gone off with her father, they're going 

to be away from Gotham for a while for some, and I quote 

'quality bonding time,' unquote," he replied.

            "That's great! She's finally forgiven him!" she 

yelled with excitement.

            "Yeah, it is. Where's your mother?" he asked.

            "Oh, she's sleeping in the guest bedroom, long nights 

y'know...(sigh) I wish I knew who my father is...but 'someone' 

refuses to tell me!" she muttered with disgust.

            Reese gave the teenager a bright smile as he handed

her a sealed envelope that was very thick, "What's this?" 

she asked.

            "Information about your father," replied Reese, 

"Helena told me to tell you that it's an early Christmas 

gift."

            "But, Christmas is six months away," Dinah stated 

as she opened the envelope with excitement.

            "A very early Christmas present," Reese told her 

as he left the room, "Have fun!" he shouted to her as 

the elevator's doors closed.

                        **********************************************

            Carolyn Lance was sleeping soundly when her daughter's 

scream, woke her up. Jumping out of bed, and preparing for the 

worst, she raced toward her daughter. "What's wrong?" she asked 

as she caught sight of her daughter.

            Dinah Lance threw a stack of papers as she yelled, 

"Why didn't you tell me that...that...the Green Arrow was 

my father! He has been in a rehab center for alcohol at 

least twenty times!" With a finally scream, she raced out 

of the room.

            Carolyn cursed as she stared at the scatter papers, 

she then notice a small envelope addressed to her, cautiously 

she opened the letter and read it's contents, cursing once 

again she dropped the letter to the floor and raced to her 

daughter's room in order to attempt to talk to her.

            As the letter drifted to the floor one can read, 

in Helena's unique handwriting:

                        Black Canary, 

                        Let this be a lesson, next time when someone 

                        says to keep your mouth shut on a particularly 

                        piece of juicy gossip... keep it shut! You're 

                        lucky enough it's me and not Tabby Knight, whom

                        would have use this little piece of news on you 

                        and the Green Arrow in her comic strip.

                        Sincerely,

                        Helena Kyle

                        The End


End file.
